Randy Edsall Announces Additions To UConn Recruiting Class

The last handful of UConn football recruits were announced Wednesday afternoon, completing a process a year in the making.

The players — two defensive backs, a defensive lineman, an offensive lineman and a running back — join 19 players signed to in December to push the Huskies’ incoming freshman class to 24.

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“I like these guys because they’re workers, they wanted to be here, they want to make a difference, they want to do everything they can to get this program back to where we once had it,” coach Randy Edsall said during a press conference at the Burton Family Football Complex. “It's a bunch a guys you felt good being around through the process.”

The players who signed national letters of intent that UConn received Wednesday, the first day of the late signing period, are defensive back Messiah Turner of Tampa, Fla.; defensive back Jalon Ferrell of Miami, defensive lineman Pierce DeVaughn of Plano, Texas; offensive lineman Christian Hayes of Bowie, Md.; and running back Dante Black of Lilburn, Ga.

“There are going to be opportunities for them to get onto the field [during the 2018 season],” Edsall said of member of the 24-player class. “How they adjust and do all those things, they'll determine that, but there will be opportunities.”

Edsall last year pieced together his first recruiting class on the fly, taking the UConn job (officially) in early January 2017 and matching new players with some who remained on board from Bob Diaco’s staff. This time, Edsall used a full year to address needs — which he clearly identified as speed and length.

Edsall raved about the potential of some players in particular.

“A guy I think people really missed the boat on is Kevon Jones,” Edsall said of the linebacker out of East Hartford High. “There's a kid who really developed and blossomed his senior year. I think he might have been the ... best kid in the state this year when you watch everything.”

Jones signed in December.

Black, the 5-foot-10, 200-pound running back announced Wednesday, had 1,927 rushing yards, 2,295 all-purpose yards and set a Brookwood High single-season record with 36 touchdowns as a senior.

“Might not be a more productive player that we've recruited in the time I've been here, on both occasions,” Edsall said. “When you watch him play on film, you see all the combinations you like in a running back.”

Edsall called DeVaughn, “a steal, in my opinion,” and said DeVaughn grew three inches and put on 35 pounds over the summer.

“We were fortunate that [assistant coach Cory Edsall] ended up down there in that Texas area and came across him,” Edsall said. “And when you put the tape on … he’s a guy who has natural ability you don't teach. When you watch game film — we don't watch highlight tapes — and see the way he can bend and dip, does it full speed and never stops, there are guys playing in the NFL that can't do that.”

Of Turner (6-1, 198) he said, “Good basketball player. I like being able to watch guys play other sports live. You learn a lot. This guy is very smooth. He moves very gracefully, a guy who really anticipates things. I'm just very impressed by his savvy and knowledge.”

Edsall said Haynes (6-4, 295) can play any position up front and, “He’s a strong powerful young man, very versatile. Already has got the size to him.” He said Ferrell (6-2, 177) is “really physical, tough, aggressive, and he’s got the length that you want.”

Edsall said the early signing period, which was new to the process this year, allowed UConn to establish a base and feel comfortable where it stood. More focus could be paid to supplementing the class and addressing needs instead of having to pour effort into making sure recruits who offered oral commitments actually followed up by signing a letter.

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“Now you don’t have to babysit, worry about cherry pickers coming in and taking your guys,” Edsall said. “We didn't have to worry about that. The last three weeks of the signing period, after the December period, it was more competitive because everybody knows who is out there, who's left.”

UConn coaches are allowed unlimited contact with recruits who signed, and those recruits can receive information and guidance on a strength and conditioning program they are expected to begin immediately.

Current UConn players are currently allowed to workout with coaches eight hours a week, no more than two hours per day.

“The attitude is a lot different — a lot different — about 180 degrees different,” Edsall said about reports he’s getting. “I really like what I've seen and what is happening.”

UConn will hold spring practice in March-April, and most new players will arrive for summer session classes. Recruiting is, by nature, a crapshoot no matter how much coaches learn about high school players in a short time. How many of those players actually reach their potential over the next few years?

“I think a lot of them do,” Edsall said. “There's a bigger percentage of them that do, at least in my time of doing this. But that's part of the evaluation process. Some of these kids that are a finished product that aren't going to get any better, might not be what we're looking for. Somebody who might be a prima donna might not be what we're looking for. You're looking to see the potential for growth and development. We had targeted certain positions and the guys we went after were the guys we wanted. We felt they could make us better.”